- Red Bull has cleared Christian Horner following investigations into alleged inappropriate conduct
- He remains the Red Bull Racing team principal and CEO
- Horner was accused by a female employee of inappropriate behaviour
Red Bull has cleared Christian Horner following investigations into alleged inappropriate conduct with a fellow employee.
He remains the Red Bull Racing team principal and CEO. His clearance reinforces his earlier stand that he did nothing wrong with the employee who lodged the complaint.
What Red Bull has cleared Christian Horner on
Red Bull GmbH, Red Bull Racing parent company, announced at the beginning of February that 50-year-old Horner was the focus of an investigation.
Horner was accused by a female employee of inappropriate behaviour but he maintained his innocence on the matter.
Now, Horner will continue in his position at Red Bull. The company has determined after weeks of research that included an in-person interview with the team principal and CEO in London.
Red Bull GmbH in a statement said a probe into the accusations levelled against its CEO did not hold any merit. It further added that the complainant can appeal the decision at any point.
“The independent investigation into the allegations made against Mr Horner is complete, and Red Bull can confirm that the grievance has been dismissed. The complainant has a right of appeal,” a part of the statement read.
Christian Horner. Photo/Sports Illustrated
It added: “Red Bull is confident that the investigation has been fair, rigorous and impartial. The investigation report is confidential and contains the private information of the parties and third parties who assisted in the investigation, and therefore we will not be commenting further out of respect for all concerned. Red Bull will continue striving to meet the highest workplace standards.”
Why Was Christian Horner Being Investigated?
The English-born Red Bull CEO came under scrutiny on February 5, when the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf revealed that Red Bull Gmbh was looking into him for possible inappropriate behaviour committed with an employee.
De Telegraaf further reported that the female employee who launched the complaint was offered a settlement offer of £650,000 ($820,000).
Red Bull recruited a third-party attorney, who met with the Horner on February 9 at an undisclosed location in London. He was reportedly interrogated for nine hours.
However, Horner remained the team’s principle and attended the pre-season testing in Bahrain as well as the car introduction of the RB20 in Milton Keynes despite the investigation.
Christian Horner and Sergio Perez. Photo/F1
He termed the claims as a distraction adding that his mind was all into the upcoming 2024 F1 season.
“Inevitably there has been a distraction but the team are very together. Everybody’s focused on the season ahead. It’s been very much business as normal. The support has been fantastic,” he stated.
“Obviously, my focus is very much on the season ahead. It has been business as normal. There is an investigation which I am working with fully so that is very much going on in the background whilst preparing for the season ahead.”
This weekend’s inaugural race is another event in which Horner is expected to compete with the squad.
What Did Ford Say About The Investigations?
Jim Farley, the CEO of Ford Motor Company, is upset with Red Bull on its CEO’s misconduct inquiries.
Ford’s CEO wrote to Red Bull requesting that the investigation be closed in light of the findings. Ford desired a speedy conclusion to the story, according to the Associated Press, who saw the document dated February 23.
Ford claimed that there was a lack of transparency in the investigation and that the US automaker is growing increasingly irate.
“As we have indicated previously, without a satisfactory response, Ford’s values are non-negotiable. It is imperative that our racing partners share and demonstrate a genuine commitment to those same values,” Farley’s letter read.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. Photo/The Independent
He added: “We are likewise frustrated by the lack of full transparency surrounding this matter with us, your corporate partners, and look forward to receiving a complete account of all findings.”
Red Bull and Ford Motor Company have a strategic technical partnership. It provides engines and powertrains to the Formula One teams Scuderia AlphaTauri and Red Bull Racing.
The American automaker reminded the Milton Keynes team that it expects all of its staff to uphold the greatest moral standards possible from its partners.
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